Assessment of pesticide residues in water, sediments and muscles of Cyprinus Carpio from Head Balloki in the River Ravi

The present study investigated the presence and potent source of pesticides and specific pesticide bearing effluent release points on the River Ravi at Balloki Headworks (BH). The levels of selected organochlorine and nitrogen containing pesticide residues were assessed in water, sediments and muscle tissues of Cyprinus carpio of five different weight groups collected from five different sampling sites on the River Ravi at BH by using HPLC (Reverse phase chromatography). Six pesticide residues viz., endosulfan, carbofuran, cypermethrin, prophenophos, triazophos and deltamethrin were detected in muscle tissues of Cyprinus carpio The endosulfan and profenofos were the most abundant pesticides recorded in the fish tissue.Profenofos and cypermethrin were dominant pesticides recorded in the water samples from the River Ravi at BH. Cypermethrin and triazophos were not detected in the sediment samples.